Hardware
Based on the next-generation, 2012 Ford Focus platform, the Focus C-MAX is expected to have one, or both, of the engines planned for European consumers. Across the Atlantic, buyers will be able to choose a 1.6-liter or 2.0-liter, turbocharged, direct-injected, 4-cylinder engine with variable valve timing.

Ford says these EcoBoost engines will deliver 20-percent better fuel economy and 20-percent fewer CO2 emissions than larger-displacement engines boasting similar power figures (horsepower and torque ratings had not been determined at the time this preview was written.) Furthermore, Ford claims that because EcoBoost builds upon existing engine technology, it doesn't compromise the driving character and performance of the vehicle in pursuit of greater fuel economy and lower emissions, in the way that a hybrid might. Additionally, Ford asserts that EcoBoost technology is more affordable than hybrid or diesel solutions to these issues.

Other details about the 2012 Focus C-MAX are not final. In Europe, the car will be offered with a standard manual transmission, and buyers will be offered the option of a PowerShift 6-speed dual-clutch transmission-essentially, an automatic. The C-MAX will be front-wheel drive, but no word yet on whether all-wheel drive might be optional. Suspension, steering and brake systems were not detailed by Ford, but we expect electronic steering; a 4-wheel-disc brake system with ABS, electronic brake-force distribution and brake assist; and a standard stability and traction control system equipped with Ford's rollover mitigation technology.